Albert Einstein Quote

"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities.The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submitto hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses hisintelligence."

WOW, volumes could be written with this as the topic. Some would even call those that honestly and courageously use their intelligence beyond the mediocrity of slavery, traitors.-- Mike, Norwalk

9

Watch what our press vilifies the most and you will see an example of what this quote is about. Over the last 20 years the best in our country have been vilified and deemed dangerous for our "democracy".-- warren, olathe

8

Warren, very well said.-- jim k, austin

7

Great spirits are wired differently than most of us and mediocrities try to knock them off of their pedestals. Great spirited individualis are a rare breed and should be treasured. I think of guys like Ghandi for example. Truth as discussed above is static and useless without great spirits to move it forward. Look at T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore's Ten Years to energy independence plans. Great spirits say "Never make any small plans."-- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas

62

T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore know how to make a buck, and that's the truth.-- Ken, Allyn, WA

8

Conformity is a cul-de-sac. Using one's intelligence always opens up trails to new possibilities -- often fraught with unknown dangers, that's why most people warn us that curiosity killed the cat -- but sometimes curiosity fed the cat! OK, we have heard from populist politicians about their view of science, how about considering the research of those who are experts on the subject? Can't we even agree that we are talking about theories? I am wary of more 'pre-emptive' commands from the state to ward off hobgoblins when in fact REAL impacts are being made on people's lives and liberty in order to avoid (yet again) Armageddon. Ever since the Book of Revelations was given any credence by the church, mankind has been expecting it any day now. The years 666, 1000, 1666, 2000 all were considered to be the 'end of the world' -- now we await the 'real' end in 2013. Give me a break. Our fear of death is used against us by the ruling classes -- that is why a person who is not afraid of death is a danger to all these causes. Life at any price is not something I hold dear.-- E Archer, NYC

7

Indifference, the curse of any civilization. Stand by me and I'll show you roads never trodden, lands yet to be discovered, but most importantly, I'll show you yourSelf. A talent not used is like Phelps without a pool. -- RobertSRQ

5

‘Dear Albert’ had one of the great spirits to go along with that incredible mind of his! This quote seems to be a corollary to another quote of his: “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted”.
That is, those that give very little real thought to their opinions are the very ones who are the most vocal, i.e. countable. They seem to operate on the principle that if I force you to hear this then it is so!! As my father-in-law used to say, they keep talking long after they’ve run out of something to say!
-- Susan, Silver Spring

7

Ken great spirits also know that if you don't get the economics right good ideas will die on the vine, just like good wine without a properly planned harvest and crushing.-- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas

3

A no brainer... -- Robert, Somewhere in the USA

"When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." - Jonathan Swift-- A.WOODS, Gloucester